Newsmakers

Miles Smith
NEW BRAUNFELS – Miles Smith is the new managing editor at the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
Smith joins the newspaper after serving as assistant team lead for the commercial dayside division of Gatehouse’s Center for News and Design in Austin.
A 2001 graduate of Texas A&M, Smith began his career in 2002 at the Palestine Herald-Press, where he worked as a sportswriter. After stops in Florida, Louisiana and Indiana, he returned to Texas, taking over as managing editor of Highland Lakes Newspapers in 2010 before joining Gatehouse.
Publisher David Compton said that Smith is a welcome addition to the newspaper’s staff. “He is a skilled journalist hungry to get into the community and showcase his talents,” Compton said.

Susan McFarland
KERRVILLE – Veteran reporter Susan McFarland has joined the The Kerrville Daily Times as a staff
writer. Her primary beat will be city and county government, along with other assignments.
Prior to relocating to the Hill Country, McFarland served as a breaking news reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A native of Fort Worth, she also free-lanced for the newspaper prior to joining the staff full time.
She has also served as communications director for the city of Westlake.
An animal rescue and nature enthusiast, McFarland said she looks forward to becoming part of a smaller community as well as covering and getting involved in local activities.

Melina Duran
SWEETWATER – Melina Duran is the new managing editor of the Sweetwater Reporter.
She has been a writer and photographer for her hometown newspaper, covering city council and school news among other duties.
A native of San Jose, California, she grew up in Sweetwater, where she is raising her two daughters. Duran is an active member of the Emmanuel Fellowship, working with the Children’s Ministry team.

Kevin Narro
HARLINGEN – Kevin Narro has returned to his South Texas roots as a sports reporter for the Valley Morning Star in Harlingen.
Narro joins longtime sports editor Dave Favila and fellow reporter Freddy Gonzalez.
The Edinburg native has covered Rio Grande Valley sports for several years as a writer, photographer, reporter and broadcaster.
“I have covered many games over my career, from Roma to Brownsville,” Narro said. “I began as a broadcaster for KATZTV in Edinburg, followed by ValleyCentral.com. I also served as the media director for the RGV Whitewings for two years. My most recent stops have been 956Sports and The Monitor.”
Most recently, Narro has been working freelance jobs, including with ESPN, Fox and Sirius radio. He has worked out of Houston with the Texans and New Orleans with the Saints and LSU football team.
Editor Lisa Seiser said she is looking forward to putting Narro’s skills to work improving the newspaper’s social media presence and helping add more audio and video features on the newspaper’s website.

Jason Hogan
COLUMBUS – Jason Hogan is the new reporter at the Colorado County Citizen.
He hails from San Antonio by way of Connecticut. Following high school graduation in San Antonio, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving tours in Germany, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Iraq.
After his service time he returned to San Antonio, where he enrolled in the Alamo Community College District, eventually obtaining an associate’s degree in journalism.
Afterward, he began his bachelor’s degree in communications at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Before his appointment in Columbus, Hogan worked at The Sealy News from August 2015 to March 2017, both as the reporter and managing editor.

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